Anti Fracking Campaigners gathered at Crawberry Hill, four weeks since the structures and protesters were removed by East Riding of Yorkshire.
Since the camp was removed the protest has been maintained by local people who in the main are ‘old age pensioners’ like 70-year-old Sue Dack.
Speaking to HU17.net Mrs. Dack said;
“Since the camp was dismantled the group I am with, Free Yorkshire has continued to protest to make life as difficult as possible for Rathlin Energy UK without breaking the law.”
A former school teacher Mrs. Dack said that the reason a large majority of the people who protest are now pensioners is that they have the spare time.
Mrs. Dack also says that they all share the same concern and goal, that is to protect the water supply from being contaminated.
Mrs Dack said;
“All of us are very concerned with the impact that fracking will have on the water supply. We have seen evidence in other countries of how bad things are when things go wrong.”
“Fracking is still a new technology. How can anyone be certain what is happening 3km under the earth? No one knows what will happen when you start fracturing the rock.”
“We do know that wells deteriorate, figures suggest 5% of wells fail and leak. Water is our most precious commodity.”
“Starting this industry in the UK is madness. It is a very densely populated country. We can live all survive without water, but we cannot live without water.”
When asked about the economic benefits fracking or shale gas could bring to the region Mrs Dack said;
“Very few jobs will be created locally. The sites need very few people to operate them and the skills they need are specialised.”
“It’s not like Siemens in Hull. Green renewable energy creates a better opportunity for mass job creation.”
There are of course other reason’s people from Beverley, and the surrounding villages are putting themselves through at times extreme weather to make their point, Mrs. Dack said;
“We have to think about the future. I have a granddaughter and spent my working life as a teacher. I feel it is right that we do all we can to protect the environment for future generations.”
In recent weeks, there has been little activity at Crawberry Hill though Mrs. Dack said they have helped to delay a tanker entering the site.
She also felt that the local police appeared to be getting fed up of having to police the OAP protesters.
